Sweetdreams And Restless Hope

Luca stood in front of the teary-eyed Rin, arms stretched wide, a bright grin shining against the dim light of the street. His smile carried no hesitation, only warmth.
 –Come with me, let’s meet Miyabi again!

For a moment Rin could only stare. His eyes, brimming with resolve, made her chest tighten. Even after everything, after all the scars she carried, he was still able to shine this brightly. Something inside her trembled, then softened.
 –Alright then…together we’ll find her, no matter what. Though I should ask this now do you actually have a plan?

Luca froze mid-pose, arms dropping like deflated sails. He turned half away, scratching at his cheek with a nervous laugh.
 –A plan? Of course I have a plan.

But inside his head, chaos was screaming.
 –Crap, I don’t have a plan. Not even a clue. What do I do, what do I do?

Before panic could swallow him whole, warmth pressed against his back. Rin’s arms wrapped around him, firm and steady.
 –You’re silly, you know that?

Her voice was gentle, muffled as she buried her face against him.
 –But…thank you. Thank you for giving me strength, Luca. I really love you.

His breath caught. His entire body stiffened as a rush of heat surged to his cheeks. Words tumbled out before he could stop them.
 –You give me strength too, Rin. More than you know. You’re always helping me, always lifting me up… so this time

He turned, meeting her eyes head-on. His voice was low, but steady.
 –This time I’ll save you. Now and forever, even if it’s the last thing I do.

Her face flushed pink. His own was no less red. The world narrowed until only their eyes existed, caught in the pull of each other beneath the pale moonlight. For a breathless heartbeat, silence said everything.

At last, Luca walked her home.

At her door, Rin’s hand slipped reluctantly from his. She lingered in the doorway, gaze lingering on his figure under the faint glow of the porchlight.
 –Goodnight… Luca. Tomorrow, we’ve got this.

His smile was calm but unwavering.
 –Definitely. Without a doubt. Goodnight, Rin…sweet dreams.

The door clicked shut between them, but neither moved away. Inside, Rin leaned against the wood, pressing her palm to her racing heart. Outside, Luca rested his back against it, head tilted up toward the night sky. Though separated, they listened to the silence, feeling each other’s heartbeats as if faintly carried through the wood.

Both smiled softly, as though hearing one another, before finally heading to bed.

The next day, Luca and Rin stood before the looming hospital entrance. Its sterile glass doors reflected their faces, faint with nervous anticipation.

 –So this is the place? –Luca asked, glancing at her.

 –Yup. This is where Miyabi was treated. –Rin’s voice carried a quiet edge of tension. –The hard part starts now… hoping they still have some trace of her. Honestly, it’s unlikely. But it’s all we’ve got.

Without hesitation, Luca reached out and patted her head gently.
 –There’s still a chance, right? Then it’s not impossible. Don’t worry we'll make it work. Let’s go.

Her lips curled into a small smile, though it quickly shifted into something mischievous.
 –Say, Luca dear… I appreciate the encouragement and all, but… we’re in public, you know.

Luca jerked his hand away in panic.
 –Wh–whoops! You’re right!

But Rin only laced her fingers with his, tugging him forward.
 –Haha, I didn’t say stop, silly. Just leave the head pats to me. Now let’s go.

Inside, the faint scent of disinfectant clung to the air. A white-haired man in glasses spoke with the receptionist, his tone calm, measured. Seeing he wasn’t occupied, Rin approached with cautious steps.
 –Excuse me, my name’s Rin. I was here about two years ago. My friend had an accident and stayed here for treatment. Her name was Miyabi.

The man adjusted his glasses before slipping them into his pocket. His gaze was steady, professional.
 –I do remember a patient by that name. If you’re looking for her, though… I’m afraid I can’t help much. She was discharged a few months after her admission. Honestly, I only recall her because her case was severe. Emergencies like that are rare here. I’m sorry, miss.

Rin’s shoulders slumped, eyes lowering as the flicker of hope dimmed. But before despair could sink in, Luca’s voice broke through, firm and pleading.
 –Please, sir. There has to be something, maybe something she mentioned before leaving? About where she’d go next? Anything at all.

The doctor paused, studying the boy’s desperate eyes and the way he gripped Rin’s hand. With a soft sigh, he relented.
 –She once mentioned an interest in learning about hospital work. If she returned to university, she might be doing work-study at one of these.

He handed over a paper filled with hospital names.
 –It’s a long list. I can’t say more than that, I’m afraid.

Before he could finish, both Luca and Rin cried out.
 –THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR!

The man blinked in surprise as they bowed deeply, clutching the paper before bolting out the door.

On the street outside, Luca scanned the paper while Rin’s fingers flew across her phone screen, pinning locations onto a map.

 –He wasn’t kidding. This list is massive, we’ve got general hospitals, children’s hospitals, even vet clinics. How’s it looking, Rin? Can we really hit them all in a day?

She stopped, a sly, wicked smile curling her lips. Luca’s stomach twisted immediately. She held out her phone.
 –Oh, we can do it. If we don’t sleep.

His eyes widened.
 –You’ve got to be kidding.

Then he sighed, his resolve hardening.
 –Fine. Let’s do this.

They bumped fists, determination in sync. But Rin tugged his sleeve again.
 –Wait. Let’s grab my car. Buses and trains will slow us down.

Luca blinked.
 –Car? Since when could you drive?

At her apartment building’s parking lot, a sleek black sedan beeped as Rin pressed the key fob. She twirled the keys in hand with a smug grin.
 –What’s the holdup? Get in, passenger princess.

Luca groaned, sliding reluctantly into the seat.
 –Just you wait until I get my license. When I’m not lazy, I promise.

Rin leaned closer, tapping his shoulder. When he turned in confusion, her lips brushed his softly. His heart nearly stopped.
 –Don’t worry. I’ll wait as long as it takes. And don’t think you need to show off just because I’m older. I already rely on you… more than you realize.

Blushing furiously, both faced forward as Rin started the car.
 –Alright! Let’s g-go! We’re Miyabi hunting, babe!

 –Yup! Heck yeah we are!

The day blurred into motion.

Hospital after hospital, they asked the same questions, heard the same answer.

 –Miyabi? Ah yes, her name appeared on the candidate list for work-study. But she never finalized. Such a shame her grades were excellent too, we would’ve loved her here.

The repetition was numbing, but still they pressed forward. When Rin’s eyes grew heavy, they pulled into quiet lots where she napped while Luca sat watch, his gaze soft on her peaceful face. No matter the disappointment, neither could bring themselves to give up.

By midnight, exhaustion weighed heavy on their shoulders as they returned to where it all began. In the hospital lobby, the sterile lights felt harsher than before. Luca raised his voice as the white-haired doctor approached.
 –We’re back. We covered as many hospitals as we could today… but no luck.

Rin’s voice wavered as she gathered the last of her strength.
 –Is there anything more you can tell us? Anything at all?

The doctor studied their faces, then gestured quietly.
 –Come with me.

In his office, silence settled thick between them. The doctor folded his hands, gaze steady.
 –To cover so many hospitals in a single day… this friend must mean a great deal to you.

Rin lowered her head, words heavy with regret.
 –She was my best friend. But I betrayed her. Even now I want to make things right, but… I don’t know if I even have the right to face her.

A nurse entered briefly, sliding documents into a cabinet. The doctor turned to Luca.
 –And you?

Luca clenched his fists.
 –I only knew her briefly, but she was an amazing friend. Now… I’d give anything to bring us all back together. Especially Rin and her. They’re inseparable. I know how much Rin misses her. So no matter how long it takes even if I have to bow until my forehead hits the groundI’ll do it.

The doctor chuckled, wiping his eyes from laughing too hard.
 –You two really are a peculiar pair. But…all three of you are putting me in a difficult spot.

 –Three? Rin repeated, confused.

The doctor’s lips curled into a smile.
 –Miyabi. I think you’ve teased them enough. Don’t you think it’s time to say something… Assistant Nurse Miyabi?

Rin and Luca jolted upright, spinning toward the sound of hesitant footsteps.

There, standing shyly with a walking stick in hand and a nurse’s uniform crisp against her trembling figure, was Miyabi. Her cheeks were bright red, her eyes wide as she whispered, voice quivering.
 –H–hey, guys. It’s… it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?